Stern wheel propeller



May 9, 1933. A w TAYLQR 1,908,631

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ER May 9, 1933. `A, w TAYLQR 1308531 STERN WHEEL PROPELLER Filed Nov. 29, 1932 2 sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 9, 1933 UN ITE TES teeaen ALVIN W. TAYLOB, OF ATHENS, OHIO s'rnnn wHEEL rRor-ELLER My invention relates to that type of propellers which are mounted at the rear of the vessel. It is well known that the standard type of wheel employed for this purpose not only causes considerable Vibration due to the straight type of blade or bucket employed but that there is a very great tendency for them to cause the stern of the vessel to raise and lower. Another objection is that they throw the water over the wheel onto the vessel. In some of the Ohio River boats it is thrown up onto the roof of the cabins and provision has to be made for its disposal. Attempts have been made toovercome this feature by providing two wheels having the blades or buckets inclined at an angle to the wheel shaft; while this served to divert the water it did not prove satisfactory in practice, as it seemed to accentuate the other objectionable features.

My invention has for its object to provide a wheel which will have substantia-lly the same effect upon the surface of the water as a. screw propeller has under the water.

A further obj ect of my invention is to provide blades or buckets which are concave and which have a. plurality of ribs running longitudinally of the blades to increase the effectiveness of the wheel in backing'.

A further object of my invention is to provide baifles on the rear of the blade which are at right angles to the blades which will act as reinforcinc: stays and will also retard the flow of the water when bacling.

My means of accomplishing' the foreg'oing objects may be more readily understood by havingl reference to the accompanying drawing's which are hereunto annexed and are part 40 of this specification, in which i Fig. 1 is a rear view of an assembled wheel;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a blade;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the blade as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig'. 5 is a fragmentai-y view of a portion of a blade viewed from the rear: and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar right angles to the blades 9. These baffles parts throughoutthe entire description and drawings.

4As shown in the drawings, the wheel is mounted on a shaft 1 which may bemounted on the vessel (not shown) inany of the accepted ways for mounting sternwheel'propellers. The shaft has four hubs 2, 3, 4.- and 5V suitably secured thereto by keys or in any desired way. A plurality ofspokes 6 extend radially from the hubs and aV felly'7v joins the. spokes 6. Ends 8 ofjthe spokes' 6 project through the felly'v and provide supports for the blades 9. It will be' obvious however, that other forms of mounting for the blades may be used'without departing from my invention. There are two sets of the blades 9 which are Constructed as'clearly. seen-from lthe drawingsl with a concave face 10 The curvatu're'of this' face is determined or governed by the radius of the wheel and should be such as will per-mit a straight entrance of the edge of the blade 9 into the water. The blades are preferably mounted at an agle of 30 degrees from the axle, each set converging toward the center. I have found in practice that this inclination of the blades will deliver the water carried over by them to port and starboard and none will be carried over while the vessel is moving forward. On the rear surface 11 I mount or cast a plurality of ribs 12 which eXtend longitudinally of the blades to increase the power of the wheel when the vessel is being backed. As shown in Fig. 5 a number of bafiles 18 are welded or riveted across the ribs 12 at serve as stays or reinforcements for the blades and also act to retard the flow of water toward the center of the wheel. The baffies may, if desired, be omitted. I have found in ar practice that by means of this construction of the blades I can cause the blades 9 to enter the water practically without disturbing it or setting it in motion and that they are at work gi; to propel the vessel forward immediately (gf unon their entrance into the water instead of tending` to lift the stern of the vessel.

Having described my invention What I regard as new and desirc to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a stern wheel of a plurality of blades thereon, the faces of which blades are curved so as to present the edge of each blade to the Water as the wheel is rotated, a plurality of longitudinal ribs on the rear surface of the blades.

2. The combination With a stern wheel of two sets of blades thereon, each of which with its blades at an angle of approximately 30 degrees from the axle, the faces of which bla-des are curved so as to present the edge of each blade to the water as the wheel is rotated, a plurality of longitudinal ribs on the rear surface of the lolades.

3. The combination with a stern wheel of a plurality of blades thereon, the faces of which blades are curved so as to present the edge of each blade to the water as the wheel is i rotated, a plurality of longitudinal ribs on the rear surface of the blades, a plurality of baflciles on said ribs at right angles to said bla es.V

4. The combination with a stern'wheel of 4 two sets of loladesthereon, each of which With its blades at an angle of approximately 30 degrees from the axle, the faces of which blades are curved so as to present the edge of each-blade to the water as the Wheel is rotated, a plurality of ,longitudinal ribs on the rear surface of the blades, and a plurality of bafies on said ribs at right angles to said blades.

. ALVIN W. TAYLOR. 

